• The KillerFrogs

2023-2024 European Football Thread

Eight

Eight

Member
Purp said:
Apparently Claudio Reyna threatened to the USSF during the WC to release damaging information about Berhalter's past. Now it's being reported that Claudio's wife is the one who gave this info to the federation.

I really don't want Berhalter back and think the way he handled the Gio situation in Qatar was petty and ridiculous, but this makes me lose a ton of respect for Claudio. And I hate that Gio is getting caught up in it too because of the WC situation.

It happened 25 years ago and the couple moved on well from it. This is a non-issue. Darn the Reyna's for making me sympathetic to Berhalter.


His contract expired 12/31/22 so we technically have no coach for the January window coming up.
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so just part ways in quiet, were they actually contemplating bringing him back for 2026?
 
dawg

dawg

Active Member
Purp said:
Not sure how or why Claudio ever thought this would go well for him and his family. So many levels of dumb here. Maybe he's trying to fall on his sword for the rest of us and for Gio's sake, but this is way more petty and childish than the stunt Berhalter pulled in Qatar with Gio. I honestly hope neither Claudio nor GB are ever near the USSF again.
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Yeah, not sure how Gio gets back in the MNT setup after this. If I was a player, given his talent or not, I wouldn't want him or his dad anywhere near the team. He's good, but he ain't CR7.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Purp said:
I disagree. I want him gone as much as anybody, but not for the right reasons. I can't support a woke mafia leading to his ouster for something as seemingly innocuous as this 25 years ago. He's been married to the woman for a very long time and they've clearly reconciled. And he was 18 darning years old when it happened. For the love of all thing holy please don't ruin a guy's career over that. I don't want him anywhere near the USSF, but nobody deserves this crap.
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It’s not a “woke mafia”…..it’s apparently a possibly bitter and possibly crazy (or at the very least intense) mama/wife that started this.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
dawg said:
Yeah, not sure how Gio gets back in the MNT setup after this. If I was a player, given his talent or not, I wouldn't want him or his dad anywhere near the team. He's good, but he ain't CR7.
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He may be embarrassed over it all…could be his mom just went off all half-[ James'd ] on her own.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
dawg said:
Yeah, not sure how Gio gets back in the MNT setup after this. If I was a player, given his talent or not, I wouldn't want him or his dad anywhere near the team. He's good, but he ain't CR7.
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I'm not this cynical about it. As yet I'm not sure Gio has had much to do or say in this matter. From what I've read this seems like something going back before the WC between Gregg and Claudio and GB took it out on Gio in Qatar by not playing him and making up BS reasons for it. I'd be surprised if the players didn't also want more of Gio on the pitch in the WC.

I do think Berhalter and CR have both done severe damage to their careers over how this is unfolding. But I'm witholding judgement on Gio at this point. And even if he is involved in the drama, we have to remember that he just turned 18. He's got a lot of maturing to do yet and I don't think this will make him toxic forever unless GB were to stay.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
It’s not a “woke mafia”…..it’s apparently a possibly bitter and possibly crazy (or at the very least intense) mama/wife that started this.
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It would be woke if they decided to not continue negotiating with him over a fairly mild domestic issue nearly 30 years ago when he was a freshman in college. It wouldn't be woke if they stopped negotiating with him because he's toxic. Thus far all I've heard from the federation is that they take domestic violence and violence against women very seriously. Nothing at all about how it would be impossible for GB to lead the top talent in the future after this childish Jerry Springer episode blew up in national media.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Eight said:
so just part ways in quiet, were they actually contemplating bringing him back for 2026?
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My fear all along was that they'd extend GB for getting out of the group. They had already started negotiating, but GB was supposedly taking some time to decide what he wanted to pursue longer term and if another WC cycle could fit into that.
 
M

Moose Stuff

Active Member
Purp said:
Not sure how or why Claudio ever thought this would go well for him and his family. So many levels of dumb here. Maybe he's trying to fall on his sword for the rest of us and for Gio's sake, but this is way more petty and childish than the stunt Berhalter pulled in Qatar with Gio. I honestly hope neither Claudio nor GB are ever near the USSF again.
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Yeah, it’s a bad look. Seems like something that would happen at a Texas HS. Feel bad for Gio.
 
M

Moose Stuff

Active Member
dawg said:
Yeah, not sure how Gio gets back in the MNT setup after this. If I was a player, given his talent or not, I wouldn't want him or his dad anywhere near the team. He's good, but he ain't CR7.
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He’s probably the best player we have when healthy and he’s only 20. Cut him out of the squad over this and it’s a disaster.
 
M

Moose Stuff

Active Member
Purp said:
I'm not this cynical about it. As yet I'm not sure Gio has had much to do or say in this matter. From what I've read this seems like something going back before the WC between Gregg and Claudio and GB took it out on Gio in Qatar by not playing him and making up BS reasons for it. I'd be surprised if the players didn't also want more of Gio on the pitch in the WC.

I do think Berhalter and CR have both done severe damage to their careers over how this is unfolding. But I'm witholding judgement on Gio at this point. And even if he is involved in the drama, we have to remember that he just turned 18. He's got a lot of maturing to do yet and I don't think this will make him toxic forever unless GB were to stay.
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If GB stays and cuts Gio out of the group I’ll find another country to root for until that changes.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Purp said:
My fear all along was that they'd extend GB for getting out of the group. They had already started negotiating, but GB was supposedly taking some time to decide what he wanted to pursue longer term and if another WC cycle could fit into that.
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I am of the thinking that Berhalter himself didn’t want to come back…think that’s partly why he did that interview that allowed people to find out about Gio’s mindset during the tourney.

That said, I’m sure he would’ve just been fine with stringing along USSF while he searched for another job than to have all this junk come out. I would imagine the family dinners the Reynas and Berhalters used to have are now over ha.
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
I am of the thinking that Berhalter himself didn’t want to come back…think that’s partly why he did that interview that allowed people to find out about Gio’s mindset during the tourney.

That said, I’m sure he would’ve just been fine with stringing along USSF while he searched for another job than to have all this junk come out. I would imagine the family dinners the Reynas and Berhalters used to have are now over ha.
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Yeah. I'm thinking the comment USSF made about inappropriate treatment of members of the organization by individuals outside the organization (also under investigation by the lawfirm) is a reference to the Reynas. This has gotten way uglier than we even know.
 
Chongo94

Chongo94

Active Member
Article about some of this. If, and that’s a big IF, you believe Reyna’s wife, they had no knowledge of blackmail, which means it is someone else trying to blackmail Berhalter!!…what the scheiss? Also, apparently Reyna was Berhalter’s best man, ha, again, soap operas have nothing on soccer in this country.

apple.news

An ugly rift between two U.S. soccer families bursts into public — The Washington Post

Danielle Reyna said in a statement that she was upset about Berhalter’s comments concerning Gio Reyna following the U.S. team’s elimination from the World Cup.
apple.news apple.news
 
Purp

Purp

Active Member
Chongo94 said:
apple.news

USMNT in turmoil: Reyna revelations leave reputation of America’s favorite soccer family in ruins — GOAL

What was once a World Cup feud about on-field friction has now become a tale of betrayal, friendship and, ultimately, heartbreak
apple.news apple.news
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I can't access the WaPo article, but these pieces in Goal.com lead me to believe even more that something was up between the families even before the WC began. I don't think Gio went there with a piss poor attitude unprepared to work and support the team. I don't care how young he is, everyone knows he's a world class teen with enormous potential and natural talent who should have a big impact on that stage. He knew it too.

I think some things were going on between the family before Qatar and Gio had lost faith in GB and motivation to play for him. The comments by Gio's agent after the WC have led me to think this too. Something along the lines of GB speaking out of turn about the player who almost got sent home being self-serving and lacking a lot of context and other facts that would make the situation seem a lot different. But in a classy way, that statement from his agent suggested that there was no value in public in-fighting between members of the organization so the extent of the comment would stop there.

I don't buy GB's explanation of how this was handled internally in Qatar either. He mentioned how he brought the leadership council in and told them what was going to happen. I'm thinking the bit about team holding him accountable organically without GB having to do it is contrived and designed to deflect culpability away from GB. I mentioned previously, but GB's handling of Gio and this situation really makes me wonder what else went into the Weston McKennie situation in Nashville that got him sent home. Clearly West has recovered from that incident and I'm certain Gio will recover from this one (both are young players learning life lessons), but the common denominator is Berhalter. I don't trust that the culture in the team was always as terrific as has been reported if stuff like this could be happening behind the scenes.
 

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